Diocesan News15 Sep 09

New Canon for St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork & St Fachtna's Cathedral, Ross

Bishop appoints priest from a farming background to Cathedral posts

The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Bishop Paul Colton, has announced the appointment of a new Canon in the Diocese. She is the Reverend Eithne Lynch who is also Rector of Kilmoe Union (Schull, Altar and Crookhaven) in West Cork. Canon Lynch will be Prebendary (Canon) of Desertmore and Killanully in Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork and Prebendary of Timoleague in Saint Fachtna's Cathedral, Ross.

When the youngest member of her own family was starting college Canon Lynch herself started training for ordination at the Church of Ireland Theological College. She was ordained deacon in 1997 and priest in 1998. She served first as curate in Douglas and Frankfield, and was appointed Rector of Kilmoe in 2001.

Canon Lynch brings wide experience and understanding of Cork to her new role. She attended Desertserges National School, Bandon Grammar and Cork Grammar Schools. She enjoyed farming life for 30 years and is well known among her clergy colleagues as someone who can drive (and fix) tractors, feed calves and do many other things on the farm!

In Church life in the Diocese she is also a chaplain to the Bishop, the Diocesan Chaplain of the Mothers' Union and Rural Dean of West Cork. She is also a member of the Diocesan Council and its Finance Committee. She serves on the General Synod of the Church of Ireland and is one of the voluntary directors on the boards of Saint Luke's Home, the Lapps Charity and the St Stephen's Protestant Orphan Society.

Canon Lynch said: "I am greatly honoured to have been appointed Canon."

Canon Lynch, who is the eldest child of the late Canon Fred Garrett, is married to Richard, a farmer, and they have five children and six grandchildren.